Sentenced to death on the NHS

reply to post by drwizardphd

And if we had a better system, such as the NHS, she wouldn't have had to pay it off and could have had a considerably higher quality of life for those 3 years, especially considering she wouldn't have been stressed over the payments.

I absolutely agree with you. I just don't believe the direction we are going with health care at the moment is in the best interest of all American. I do believe we need a change though. But the government needs to stay out of it.

Originally posted by carewemust
reply to post by StevenDye

 

When the government LITERALLY holds your health in their hands, you
would be a fool to criticize their system. I work with people who come
to the USA from other countries for med care when they need FAST
life-saving treatment(s). Speaking out against your government run
health-care/health-repair system is only done within close friendship
circles. Its amazing the stories I hear.
-cwm

That simply isn't true...all we do over here is criticise the NHS for every little mistake they make. We turn something small into something huge just to mock the NHS. We would do exactly the same no matter who proivded our heathcare because we like to throw up a fuss if we think something could be better.

And the truth is, the NHS COULD be better, but so could private healthcare...so you never get a perfect service.


I am always in and out of NHS hospitals, I have no problem saying if I think something is wrong, if I think it's going slow I will say so, if I think somethings not right I will say so, if I think something has been forgotten I will say so.... and you know what, they don't mind. If your criticism is well placed they will accept it fine.

How can you say we wont criticise it because our government runs it, when all we do on television is directly mock every aspect of our PM. Don't worry, we have no problems saying when something sucks..... and yet they still preferred the NHS to American health care.

Originally posted by drwizardphd

Originally posted by liveandlearn


My mom had a heart attach without insurance and was hospitalized 5 days. It took her 3 years to pay it off but she did and she lived on SS.

And if we had a better system, such as the NHS, she wouldn't have had to pay it off and could have had a considerably higher quality of life for those 3 years, especially considering she wouldn't have been stressed over the payments. Stress should always be avoided if you recently suffered cardiac arrest.

I imagine the lack of stress over making medical payments is just one of the factors that contributes to the UK's higher life expectancy and better quality of life.

I don't know. It just seems so obvious to me...

This is the thing. People in the UK don't even think about paying for anything, it's taken for granted that you will be treated at all costs, not to mention all the other care provided, like free occupational therapy, physiotherapy, counselling etc etc. All provided to help people get back to normal. Not leave them worrying if they can pay for the treatment.

reply to post by Sestias


The telegraph is not a Tabloid it is one of the few remaining Broadsheets. It does have a conservative bias, however the stories are not usually sensationalized.

In British politics the opposition always critisizes the NHS because the other party controls it. My own opinion of the NHS is that the idea is good but like most Government programs it has ended up with too much bureaucracy, and a lack of efficiency.

As to the article, I wouldn't want a team of doctors deciding to put me on that pathway. Much better if me + friends +family make that decision with the doctors advice.

Why do Americans continue to bash the problematic NHS and compare their future health care to it? Why don't they compare their health service to the French public/private system which seems to be closer to what it is the Americans seem to be attempting to achieve? Is it because they know in their hearts that they are incapable of achieving the excellence of the French system, so need to pick a not so brilliant example to more accurately reflect their abilities in health care? Sure looks that way to me.

The United States will never fix itself as long as we continue to see the levels of personal greed and lack of social responsibility displayed in threads like these. Is it any wonder the country is going down the pan. For all their lip service, they are all alike and nothing will change.

Whats the deal with with everyone ranting on about the NHS?

Over the 29 years i've lived on this rock i have had one of my testes untwisted and stiched back into place after recieving a nather nasty kick to them, years later a sack of fluid removed from around it that had develolped, my tonsils and adenoids removed, I have had MRI to check my pituruy gland, had a nasty hot oil related burn taken care of, had a 4 inch nail removed from my arm, had exploded test tube removed from my foot after a failed chemistry experiment and injuries from a car crash taken care of. I have had countless medicines and vaccines for various ailments and illnesses. My grandfather had chemotherapy for cancer, my mum has just had her shoulder corrected, my dad has had similiar to his elbow. There is lots more I could mention, but i wont.

How much has all this cost under the NHS, 100 quid? 1000 quid? 10,000 quid?? nope its cost absolutley bugger all, on some cases they have even re-imbursed travel expenses. The NHS is a wonderful system and should be praised. (and i'm not biased because my mum is a nurse in the NHS, lol)

Once again, the NHS gets bashed, as if it would be so much worse thn the greatness of the existing American Corporate controlled sick care system. But the facts show that we could do much worse, in fact we already are.

2007 Statistics:

UK: Infant deaths per 1000 births...... 5
US: Infant deaths per 1000 births...... 6.4

UK life expectancy: 78.6 years
US life expectancy: 78 years

So, if the UK based NHS is so "bad for America", why is it that an infant has a better chance of surviving their births, and living longer in the UK than in the US?